Thomson is the county seat of McDuffie County, Georgia, a small city of about 6,800 residents set along the Interstate 20 corridor in the state's east-central Piedmont. It sits roughly 30 miles west of Augusta and about 100 miles east of Atlanta, placing it within the Augusta–Richmond County metropolitan area while retaining the self-contained feel of a classic Southern county seat. The settlement took shape in 1837 as a railroad depot on the Georgia Railroad and was originally known as Slashes before it was renamed. That rail connection defined Thomson's early growth, and the railroad still threads through the heart of town. The city's most visible identity is horticultural: Thomson calls itself "The Camellia City of the South" for the thousands of camellia shrubs planted across its streets, yards, and public spaces, a tradition celebrated each December with the Camellia City Festival. Thomson's center is a historic downtown of preserved Victorian homes and tree-lined streets, with landmarks such as Hickory Hill, the restored home of Georgia politician and lawyer Thomas R. R. Cobb, and the nearby Wrightsboro Historic District and Rock House, among the oldest documented houses in the state. Local museums, antique shops, and a blues music festival honoring Thomson-born musician Blind Willie McTell give the city a distinct cultural footing. Public education is provided by the McDuffie County School System, a single-district arrangement that keeps students close to home. With its mix of in-town historic housing, newer subdivisions, and direct freeway access, Thomson appeals to commuters bound for Augusta and to families seeking small-town life within reach of a larger metro.